ASK OUR EXPERTS

Top Foods That Make You Sleepy

Ever wondered why your mother would give you a glass of milk before bedtime? We'll tell you the reason.

By: DoctorNDTV |Updated: Dec 26, 2017 05:31 IST

3-Min Read

Shares

Food with high melatonin level will make you fall asleep faster.

HIGHLIGHTS

It is a myth that dark chocolate keeps you awake

If you are jet lagged and in need of some instant sleep, eat cherries

Bananas help relax your body, putting you in a deep slumber

Have you been having trouble falling asleep and want a long, relaxing nap for once? Can you recall how in the childhood our mothers would give us a glass of milk before sleeping? Have you ever wondered why we had to go through that routine every single night? Certain food items ensure a good and relaxing sleep and milk is one of them and that's why our childhood days have been free of these stressful, sleepless nights. Do you want to go back in time and sleep that carefree again? Here we present you six food items that will make you sleep like a baby!

1. Dark Chocolate

Have you been advised to eat dark chocolate to stay awake? Well, you have it very wrong. Though dark chocolate has caffeine in it, which helps you be awake, it also contains serotonin which helps you to go into a deep slumber and relax. Contrariwise, milk chocolate doesn't have serotonin and is a good option if you plan on staying awake tonight.

Pistachios have an abundance of proteins and vitamin B6 in them. This vitamin doesn't induce sleep directly but it works as a co-enzyme to convert tryptophan to serotonin which eventually is converted to melatonin which eventually induces sleep. Thus it indirectly helps the process of making sleep inducing neurotransmitters by helping to play out the process smoothly.

Bananas are full of sodium and potassium which are really important for the relaxation of muscles. Your body needs to recover as much as your brain does, and bananas are a good way to relax your body, thus making sleep effective and fulfilling its purpose.

Cherries abound in naturally occurring melatonin which is a sleep inducer and regulates your sleep cycles. Inducing melatonin rich food in your diet can even help you treat disorders like insomnia and help against jet lag. So if you are heavy jet lagged and need an instant sleep, eat some cherries!

Photo Credit: iStock

5. Peanut Butter

Proteins that we eat are the fundamental blocks of tryptophan synthesis. This tryptophan is then converted to serotonin which is eventually made into melatonin which induces sleep in the body. Peanut butter abounds in proteins and thus is a good snack before bedtime when taken with some carbs.

6. Tea

Have you ever had friends who can't go to bed without a cup of tea? Well, this is so because tea also causes sleepiness. Tea has a calming effect on the body and helps the body relax and works perfectly to fight sleeplessness. While other kinds of tea can and would disrupt the sleep cycle and are generally recommended to stay awake, herbal tea enhances the sleep cycle as herbal teas are caffeine free. Chamomile, Valerian and Kava have proven to work against sleep disorders and help in inducing a good relaxing slumber.